Alice Walker Papers, Circa 1930-2014
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WALKER, ALICE, 1944- Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2014 Emory University Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library Atlanta, GA 30322 404-727-6887 [email protected] Digital Material Available in this Collection Descriptive Summary Creator: Walker, Alice, 1944- Title: Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2014 Call Number: Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Extent: 138 linear feet (253 boxes), 9 oversized papers boxes and 1 oversized papers folder (OP), 10 bound volumes (BV), 5 oversized bound volumes (OBV), 2 extraoversized papers folders (XOP) 2 framed items (FR), AV Masters: 5.5 linear feet (6 boxes and CLP), and 7.2 GB of born digital materials (3,054 files) Abstract: Papers of Alice Walker, an African American poet, novelist, and activist, including correspondence, manuscript and typescript writings, writings by other authors, subject files, printed material, publishing files and appearance files, audiovisual materials, photographs, scrapbooks, personal files journals, and born digital materials. Language: Materials mostly in English. Administrative Information Restrictions on Access Special restrictions apply: Selected correspondence in Series 1; business files (Subseries 4.2); journals (Series 10); legal files (Subseries 12.2), property files (Subseries 12.3), and financial records (Subseries 12.4) are closed during Alice Walker's lifetime or October 1, 2027, whichever is later. Series 13: Access to processed born digital materials is only available in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (the Rose Library). Use of the original digital media is restricted. The same restrictions listed above apply to born digital materials. Emory Libraries provides copies of its finding aids for use only in research and private study. Copies supplied may not be copied for others or otherwise distributed without prior consent of the holding repository. Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2010 Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Terms Governing Use and Reproduction All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction. Researchers are not permitted to copy or download any of the digital files from the computer workstation. Source Purchase from Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, on behalf of Alice Walker, 2007. Multiple additions were purchased from or donated by Alice Walker from 2007-2019. Citation [after identification of item(s)], Alice Walker papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University. Appraisal Note Acquired by Curator of African American Collections, Randall Burkett, as part of the Rose Library's holdings in African American literature. Processing Processed by Elizabeth Russey, Brittney Cooper, Elizabeth Stice, and Brenda Tindal, April 23, 2009. Born digital materials processed by Dorothy Waugh, March 17, 2014 and Brenna Edwards, November 2018. The born digital materials currently available to researchers are taken from 37 3.5" floppy disks, two compact discs, and a MacBook Air. For more information, see the processing note in the description of Series 13, Born digital materials. This finding aid may include language that is offensive or harmful. Please refer to the Rose Library's harmful language statement for more information about why such language may appear and ongoing efforts to remediate racist, ableist, sexist, homophobic, euphemistic and other oppressive language. If you are concerned about language used in this finding aid, please contact us at [email protected]. Collection Description Biographical Note Alice Walker (1944-), African American poet, novelist, and activist. The youngest of eight children, Walker was born on February 9, 1944, to sharecroppers Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Tallulah Grant Walker in Eatonton, Georgia. Walker graduated valedictorian of her high school class in 1961. She attended Spelman College for two years before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College, graduating in 1965. Walker married lawyer Mel Leventhal in 1967 and moved to Jackson, Mississippi. She worked for Friends of the Children of Mississippi, an early Head Start program. She also served as the writer-in-residence for Jackson State College and Tougaloo College. In 1968, Walker published her first book of poetry, Once. Shortly thereafter in 1969, she published her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copelandd, the same year her daughter Rebecca was born. In 1977, Walker divorced Mel Leventhal and moved to California. 2 Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2010 Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Walker has written numerous essays, novels, and collections of poetry. Her novel The Color Purple, published in 1982, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Walker has also served as a contributing editor of Ms. during the 1980s and founded the Wild Trees Press. Scope and Content Note The collection consists of the literary and personal papers of Alice Walker from circa 1930-2015. The collection documents the development of Walker's writing career, her interest in political activism, and her personal relationships with friends and family. The collection also contains material about Walker's many interests, including civil rights, Zora Neale Hurston, female genital mutilation, Bessie Head, Cuba, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and women's rights. The papers include correspondence (1958-2014); drafts of poetry, novels, essays, and other writings (1961-2014); writings by other authors; subject files (1968-2012); printed material (1961-2014); publishing files and appearance files (1966-2012); audiovisual materials (1962-2007); photographs (circa 1930s-2012); scrapbooks (1959-1996); personal files (1958-2010); journals; and born digital materials (1987-2013). Arrangement Note Organized into thirteen series: (1) Correspondence, (2) Writings by Walker, (3) Subject files, (4) Publishing files, (5) Printed material, (6) Writings by others, (7) Scrapbooks, (8) Photographs, (9) Audiovisual materials, (10) Journals, (11) Memorabilia and artwork, (12) Personal files, and (13) Born digital materials. 3 Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2010 Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Description of Series Series 1: Correspondence, 1958-2014 Series 2: Writings by Walker, 1961-2014 Subseries 2.1: Notebooks, circa 1964-2002 Subseries 2.2: Poems, 1965-2006 Subseries 2.2a: Collected poems, 1965-2003 Subseries 2.2b: Uncollected poems, 1965-2006 Subseries 2.3: Fiction, circa 1960-2014 Subseries 2.3a: Novels, circa 1960s-2004 Subseries 2.3b: Short stories, 1964-2014 Subseries 2.3c: Children's books, 1974-2006 Subseries 2.4: Non-fiction, 1961-2012 Subseries 2.4a: Essays and edited volumes, 1966-2006 Subseries 2.4b: Reviews, 1971-1982 Subseries 2.4c: Introductions, forwards, and letters to the editor, 1963-2003 Subseries 2.4d: Interviews, 1973-2006 Subseries 2.4e: College papers, 1961-1966 Subseries 2.4f: Speeches, 1972-2012 Subseries 2.4g: Other writings, 1986, 2005 Subseries 2.5: Derivative works, 1984-2005 Series 3: Subject files, 1968-2012 Series 4: Publishing files, 1966-2012 Subseries 4.1: Appearance files, 1966-2012 Subseries 4.2: Business files, 1970-2007 Series 5: Printed material, 1961-2014 Subseries 5.1: Printed material by Alice Walker, 1963-2007 Subseries 5.2: Printed material about Alice Walker, 1961-2014 Subseries 5.3: General printed material, 1964-2013 Subseries 5.4: Posters, circa 1980-2013 Series 6: Writings by others, 1966-2012 Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1959-1996 Series 8: Photographs, circa 1930s-2012 Subseries 8.1: Alice Walker, circa 1940s-2006 Subseries 8.2: Events, 1950-2009 Subseries 8.3: Other people and places, circa 1930s-2012 Subseries 8.4: Slides and negatives, 1962-1970 Subseries 8.5: Photograph albums, 1960-2006 Series 9: Audiovisual materials, 1962-2010 Subseries 9.1: Audio recordings, 1962-2007 Subseries 9.2: Video recordings, 1979-2010 Series 10: Journals, circa 1960s-2007 Series 11: Memorabilia and artwork, 1963-2013 Series 12: Personal files, 1958-2010 Subseries 12.1: Personal papers, 1979-2006 4 Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2010 Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Subseries 12.2: Legal files, 1992-1999 Subseries 12.3: Property files, 1978-2003 Subseries 12.4: Financial records, 1973-2012 Series 13: Born digital materials, 1987-2013 5 Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2010 Manuscript Collection No. 1061 Series 1 Correspondence, 1958-2014 Box 1 - 34, 249-251 Scope and Content Note The correspondence series contains letters Walker wrote and received from 1958-2014. The series includes correspondence from family, friends, editors, and fans of her writing. The correspondence ranges from birthday cards and fan letters to detailed correspondence with editors and personal correspondence to family members. This series offers a sustained perspective on Walker's personal relationships. Significant personal correspondence includes letters with family and friends, including Mel Leventhal, Walker's sisters, mother, and other family members, Maryam Lowen, Charles Merrill, Gloria Steinem, and Howard Zinn. Early letters with Mel Leventhal in the 1970s document their relationship and views on politics. Numerous letters between Walker and Gloria Steinem document their extensive friendship, pieces in Ms. Magazine, and their perspectives on the issues of the day. Letters to and from Howard and Roslyn Zinn document events and opinions in Walker's life from her Spelman College days to the present. In addition to personal correspondence, the series also contains correspondence documenting Walker's writing career. Significant correspondence between Walker, her literary agents and